UK unemployment fell 133,000 in the first quarter of 2014 to a five-year low of 2.2 million, official figures revealed today.

Unemployment now stands at 6.8 per cent of the working-age population, while the number of employed people has risen to 30.43 million – a new record high.

Minister for employment Esther McVey said: "As the recovery takes hold, more people are able to get a job or set up their own business and become the employers of tomorrow.”

Overall, 283,000 people found work between January and March, the fastest quarterly increase since 1971, when the government started making records.

Self-employed numbers also climbed to a record high of 4.5 million, as 183,000 additional people became self-employed.

Youth unemployment also fell to its lowest level in five years, by 48,000 thousand to 868,000 – well down from the 1 million-plus seen just one year ago.